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The Chinese Lunar New Year is the longest
chronological record in history, dating from 2600BC, when the
Emperor Huang Ti introduced the first cycle of the zodiac. Like the
Western calendar, The Chinese Lunar Calendar is a yearly one, with
the start of the lunar year being based on the cycles of the moon.
Therefore, because of this cyclical dating, the beginning of the
year can fall anywhere between late January and the middle of
February. This year it falls on February 12th. A complete cycle
takes 60 years and is made up of five cycles of 12 years
each.
The Chinese Lunar Calendar names each of the twelve
years after an animal. Legend has it that the Lord Buddha summoned
all the animals to come to him before he departed from earth. Only
twelve came to bid him farewell and as a reward he named a year
after each one in the order they arrived. The Chinese believe the
animal ruling the year in which a person is born has a profound
influence on personality, saying: "This is the animal that hides in
your heart." |
